TSR Companies & Freelancers Distance Themselves From The New TSR

The new TSR (which I refer to as TSR3 to avoid confusion) has doubled down on its stance--which has been widely condemned online--via an ongoing series of tweets and replies from its TSR Games, Giantlands, and Dungeon Hobby Museum social media accounts (possibly operated by Justin LaNasa) in an astonishing PR campaign which makes the original interview which sparked off the controversy look mild in comparison. Various entities are moving to distance themselves from the company and its activities, including TSR2, the company founded in 2011 by Jayson Elliot, which has now declared that it will not be using the name TSR any longer. Other companies including Gen Con and freelancers such as Jeff Dee have also made statements.

For reference -- TSR1 is the (no longer existing) company which launched D&D in 1974, TSR2 is the company founded by Jayson Elliot in 2011 to create Gygax Magazine and which currently publishes the Top Secret RPG, and TSR3 is the newly launched company.

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Catch up on my previous coverage of this story:

TSR - Ernie Gygax on New TSR, WotC Beefs, Trademarks, Licensees, 5E, & More

A YouTube channel, 'Live From the Bunker', interviewed Ernie Gygax about the new TSR. I've watched and decided to try to transcribe the most relevant parts of it, but the full hour-long video is below if you want to see the whole interview and full context. Ernie Gygax is one of D&D...

www.enworld.org

TSR - TSR (2) Confirms TSR (3)'s Acquisition of Trademark (Updated!)

Jayson Elliot registered the TSR trademark back in 2011 and used it to launch Gygax Magazine along with Ernie and Luke Gygax. The two Gygax's left the company a few years later after Gary Gygax's (co-founder of TSR (1) back in the 1970s) widow, Gail Gygax, forced the closure of Gygax Magazine...

www.enworld.org

A TSR Announces a Star Frontiers Reboot

One of the new TSRs (yes there are now two TSRs!) has announced a reboot of Star Frontiers, the sci-fi game made by the original TSR back in the 1980s. Star Frontiers was a percentile dice roleplaying game set in a galaxy with four races (Human, Dralasite, Vrusk, and Yazirian) which were re-used...

www.enworld.org

TSR - TSR Is Back.... Again!

TSR is back... again! A new company, using the name and logo of the original publisher of Dungeons & Dragons has just been launched, along with a limited edition new game called Giantlands, and a theme park! But first, some history! Because this isn't the first time TSR has been resurrected...

www.enworld.org

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TSR3's social media accounts initially sought to distance the company from Ernie Gygax's statements, but within a few hours had reversed course and doubled down on his stance. Note that there have been dozens of social media posts from the company over the last few days, and still continuing as I type this, and I don't intend to share them all here.

(Thanks to Daniel Fox for sharing screenshots below via Twitter).

TSR2 -- "Update to our earlier tweet - we will NOT be licensing anything from the new company claiming rights to the TSR logos. We are not working with them in any fashion."

Gen Con -- "Gen Con is not associated with TSR Games and we don't support their recent statements. While the foundation of Gen Con is tied with the history of TTRPGs, our goal is to build off the good, acknowledge the bad, and work toward a present free from racism, misogyny, and homophobia."

Gen Con has also indicated that they do not intend to allow TSR3 at the convention.

GAMA (the Game Manufacturers Association) -- "We’re aware of the appalling statements published by TSR Games and their founder - GAMA does not condone nor agree with any part of it. We pride ourselves on supporting and promoting inclusivity always. Our motto is “A game at every table, a table for everyone”. Transphobia, racism, and sexism will not be tolerated. That means that TSR is not welcome at Origins Game Fair, GAMA Expo or any event affiliated with our organization."

Jeff Dee -- "There is a rumor going around that I am part of this new TSR company. That is not accurate. I have done some work for them as a freelance artist. That’s how I make my living, and spreading the misinformation that I’m now employed full-time by one particular client could stop other clients from approaching me and hurt my business. So, please do not spread that rumor. If I ever become a full-time employee anywhere again, I will announce that myself. Thanks. UPDATE: After investigating reports about statements made by representatives of this new TSR, I have determined that I can no longer do business with them in good conscience. I've returned their downpayment on the next piece of art I was scheduled to do for them. And yeah, I could sure use some new commissions to make up for this big hit on my cashflow"

Jim Ward, an original TSR alumnus and who wrote Giantlands, TSR3's flagship product -- "At the present time I know little or nothing about the relaunch of TSR. Right now I don't see how anyone could pick up where the old company left off. Yes it's a name with some logos, that is all I know."

Luke Gygax -- "FYI- I am not involved with any TSR company nor is Gary Con nor anyone else in my family outside of Ernie. Full stop. That is all ... I have reasons for distancing myself. The way TSR treats people online in their public exchanges is rude. The museum is a for profit business and was asking for donations. Using names of people to promote without their knowledge. Going out of the way to talk gender/woke stuff ... Also basically jacking the TSR logo from Jayson Elliot. The bombastic press releases and claims to old IP. Making a quick nostalgia money grab based on my fathers name and not much else. So I’m making it clear I don’t like this style and I have ZERO to do with TSR"

TSR3 responds to Luke Gygax​

Tim Kask, an original TSR alumnus who worked at the company until 1980, spoke at length on this topic in a YouTube video (below). I've transcribed some bits, but he says a whole load more (ellipses represent sections I have not included, for reasons of brevity), so check out the video for the whole thing.

"There has been bandied about in social media over the last several days several claims about what's going on in Lake Geneva right now. Ernie Gygax made a most egregious mistake in an interview he did on a podcast. He basically waved his bare ass in front of everybody that's concerned about pronouns, and woke, and all that right now in the industry and thumbed his nose at them. The transcript of his podcasts are there for everyone to read. That they were men, and they didn't give a sh*t, and la la la.

But right there they alienated three quarters of the gaming industry. Probably more than that, I don't believe that there's a quarter of the gaming industry that still are the neanderthals that he would make us out to be.

That's another thing. This whole thing has brought the OSR (the old school revival) into serious disrepute. Now there are some little Karens going on some of the social media and painting with the same brush all of us that were there back then based on the stupid ass sh*t that Ernie just said. No. We weren't all like that. And we aren't all like that now. He's a troll, a troglodyte, a neanderthal, if he really means that. It's a foolish person that doesn't wet his finger once in a while and feel the wind shift.

Now there've been claims in a couple of posts, one of which is by Ernie, about how the stalwarts, the old TSR are flocking to the banner. Bullsh*t....

... There is no one of the creative side of TSR from the early days involved with the Dungeon Hobby Shop Museum. No one. Not one creative person. No matter who might be claiming what, they simply do not have the credentials. Being named DiMaggio does not mean you can hit a lot of home runs. Or that you even hit any home runs ....

... Just because you say you're TSR doesn't mean you are."

​

 

[Catulle]

Also we seem to have forgotten that the problem with the Jim Ward podcast interview was less the content of his speech and more that the podcast is run by three unabashed racists and misogynists

And that, despite that he was willing to appear on it

Jim's not stupid, and he knows what they're about. Or maybe he is and we shouldn't even listen...

 

[Rob Kuntz]

A) Ascendency does not generally lead to equality unless there is already a severe imbalance in place (also... it really didn't based on the Kushite Record)

B) You live in the US where reproductive rights are under perpetual threat. of course it isn't "deep into matriarchal naughty word")

What is happening is that your local discourse is full of lies about how fighting back is aggression, about how dissatisfaction is treason, about how nonconformity is... well, whateverthefuck it's painted as by the outright Nazis at work within the American Body Politic. #Idon'tspeakGerman

Nice to see you back. How's Angus?

Generally speaking I see the human race as very destructive. I am quite surprised it's lasted this long. Until the peoples reset this system as it had been constructed in the past (haves and have nots) there is always going to be contention in place, and the real equality--freedom from those who set up this oppressive system to begin with--will never be achieved. That's my take and I'm not budging on it. All the rest is just dealing with reccurring symptoms. In that regard the Kushites had it right to an extent. If the Romans had not interceded and wiped them out, where would they have gone? Dreams in the sands now.

So back to first wave equality. Agreed. I;m the boss now, nope, I am. Ascendant/Descendant. It's a reflection of the haves and have nots baked into the humans, =baked into the genes of the humans and the systems they create. Answer? Well at first it was to "Civilize" the uncivilized. The church was tasked with this; if they failed in the scouting mission, erh, missions, then the army came in sooner rather than later (after the mission) and took care of the "resisters" (those who resisted imperial domination). Those left, cowed, were taught the ways, languages and such of their new God and Masters and intercessors for them. Fast forward to today... It;s been inverted, the bullets gave been replaced by disintegrating societies whose governments say this is the new way, this while they put away pensions and live high on the hog and the people say sure, Okay, what else can we do for you??

So to argue hi to low, back to forth, well, to me is rather senseless now. It's been a looping circle of no escape with everyone pointing at the symptoms over a crumpet or bagel breakfast. We nod sagaciously at our 1,000th repeated episode of accord and then, scene 10, act 1,000,000.

If I've depressed you in return I am sorry. Angus can get even with me some day.

I'm really concerned about Ernie. Don't believe I'm managing this well.

 

[Catulle]

What did a Japanese girl in 1992 have to do with the war crimes of the Japanese state in the 1940s? As much as an American girl in 1992 had to do with the war crimes of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Anyway, this is very off topic

Grandma was, arguably traumatised, which is (at best) a temporary abatement for racism). My argument is well, don't attribute broad trends to specific groups, but then again, trauma is a thing yo. I'd avoid putting a lot of weight on the broad groups that trauma vistims specify, while at the same time acknowledging (at the very least) the harm done and the individuals responsible... (then following up on those social structures that enabled it all, hai '00s Vampire games )

 

[Malmuria]

Also we seem to have forgotten that the problem with the Jim Ward podcast interview was less the content of his speech and more that the podcast is run by three unabashed racists and misogynists

the content also. A few choice quotes that are somehow, in his mind, related to WOTC removing alignment from the Ravenloft book:


27:30 -“the youth of the nation, the 7,8,9, 10 year olds, they don’t realize that Gary Gygax is the one who started this game, because Wizards doesn’t play that up at all.”
28:45 - “the company [WOTC] right now is so liberal, I don’t think there’s a conservative in the whole company”
29:14 - “yes I probably call myself a ‘deplorable’ for some strange reason”

 

[Gradine]

Generally speaking I see the human race as very destructive. I am quite surprised it's lasted this long. Until the peoples reset this system as it had been constructed in the past (haves and have nots) there is always going to be contention in place, and the real equality--freedom from those who set up this oppressive system to begin with--will never be achieved. That's my take and I'm not budging on it. All the rest is just dealing with reccurring symptoms.

Can you at least appreciate that for some people, this is not some glib philosophical thought experiment but a matter of actual life and death? And why that might then spur those same people to action?

 

[Gradine]

And also, why resigned nihilism might be taken unkindly by those same people?

"If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality."
-Desmond Tutu

 

[Rob Kuntz]

Regarding the West, I view it as matri- and patri- becoming more egalitarian.

Something like.

In the Paleolithic, women were perceived as the source of life. (Apparently the delay between conception and birth was less understood, or at least less socially significant. So women spontaneously brought forth life.) With Neolithic and planting seeds, men were perceived as the source of life. (Men were almost literally understood to be "planting seed in soil".)

But in the modern world we have awareness that both the sperm and the ovum are equally sources of life.

This egalitarian view correlates with money being powerful, regardless of whether a man or a woman owns it. And so on.


The shift from matriarchy to patriarchy seems gradual. While the shift from patriarchy to egalitarianism is drastically sudden (from an archeological perspective).

I agree. I said that the decaying patriarchy was still resisting (but not winning) so that parity is finally achieved, However, as I noted in another post, the underlying system does not promote parity as it was set up in ancient times and carried forward to now. In my view for the stability and equality of peoples of this planet, that system has to be undone (i.e., not amended as is currently being suggested by those who created it, but ended).

 

[Zardnaar]

I, too, loved my grandfather.

Did he hold racist opinions? Yes.

Did he get malaria from the Burma campaign? Also, yes.

Did he frame some awful opinions from that experience? You guessed it... yes.

Was it wrong for him to blame an entire people for his direct experiences? I think you get the general theme by now.

Racism is wrong, even if founded on experienced behaviour because one can never experience an entire culture even if "race" equated to culture, which it does not

Papa was wrong.

And in case you're labouring under the assumption I'm American, that, too is wrong. I'm Scottish (sorry, Motherwell.)

Scots proportionally took some of the heaviest casualties.

But we didn't live through those years and there's a very big difference between living it and reading about it.

Another example. I have a friend whose family with ethnically cleansed. He over here for his kids. He left because his uncle tipped him off he was going to get killed if he stayed.

I was drinking tea with him in his restaurant and a member of said ethnic group came in to order some food. Said member had a store over the road. And flew that nations flag on his store.

He got served but I could tell he was not comfortable doing it and the other person was oblivious. Recently his father in law died, I got the gist it was preventable birdie to his families living conditions back "home" said care was unavailable.

He's not a raving racist afaik but he is definitely not comfortable around members of that nation and he's not a fan of them.

His wife is a bit more reactionary. He just prefers to avoid dealing with that nationity it's easier on him.

 

[Mercurius]

It is presented not as a moral quandary, but as a romantic film.

And having the female character fall in love with him validates his choice. Put some big thumbs up on the entire thing and gives him a pass for doing something horrible.

And teaches people that they can put themselves over others for what they want and not only be forgiven for it but directly rewarded with what they hoped for.

That's sort of entitlement... Ugh.

So Hollywood films should be about teaching people, like after-school specials? What happened to coming up with an idea or situation, and exploring it? A What If scenario? That is a large part of what science fiction has always been about.

Anyhow, it isn't just a romance - that's one element. It isn't saying, "This is how you get hot chicks, fellas." Or, "This is totally OK to do."It is exploring an impossible scenario and while I don't think it was a great film, found it reasonably interesting and not having the malicious undercurrents that your interpretation yields. But viva la difference.

 

[Catulle]

Nice to see you back. How's Angus?

Generally speaking I see the human race as very destructive. I am quite surprised it's lasted this long. Until the peoples reset this system as it had been constructed in the past (haves and have nots) there is always going to be contention in place, and the real equality--freedom from those who set up this oppressive system to begin with--will never be achieved. That's my take and I'm not budging on it. All the rest is just dealing with reccurring symptoms. In that regard the Kushites had it right to an extent. If the Romans had not interceded and wiped them out, where would they have gone? Dreams in the sands now.

So back to first wave equality. Agreed. I;m the boss now, nope, I am. Ascendant/Descendant. It's a reflection of the haves and have nots baked into the humans, =baked into the genes of the humans and the systems they create. Answer? Well at first it was to "Civilize" the uncivilized. The church was tasked with this; if they failed in the scouting mission, erh, missions, then the army came in sooner rather than later (after the mission) and took care of the "resisters" (those who resisted imperial domination). Those left, cowed, were taught the ways, languages and such of their new God and Masters and intercessors for them. Fast forward to today... It;s been inverted, the bullets gave been replaced by disintegrating societies whose governments say this is the new way, this while they put away pensions and live high on the hog and the people say sure, Okay, what else can we do for you??

So to argue hi to low, back to forth, well, to me is rather senseless now. It's been a looping circle of no escape with everyone pointing at the symptoms over a crumpet or bagel breakfast. We nod sagaciously at our 1,000th repeated episode of accord and then, scene 10, act 1,000,000.

If I've depressed you in return I am sorry. Angus can get even with me some day.

I'm really concerned about Ernie. Don't believe I'm managing this well.

Angus is an excellent snuggle bear and I will never say a word against him...

(is that okay, boss?)

As to the rest, well. I've never been able to experience Faith (capitalisation intended) - it's just not in my nature and have I tried to run up into it. I'm a humanist/utilitarian as a kind of next-best-solution. Faith does a lot of good things for a lot of people, and I wish I could experience it. Maybe that's why I default to playing religious characters in RPGs.

It's really interesting to see your take on the underpinnings of theology, largely because its a stance I've knot really embedded before, and by no menas feel like you need to stop talking if it's helping you.

For my own part and by way of information, I'm deeply skeptical about stolen heritage and modern reinvention/appropriation of a Victorianised paganism (see the Scots reinvention), but, you know, that's my prejudice to overcome...

I hope you do well with Ernie; you both clearly have a lot to loose